Sindh faces medicine shortage risk as Health Department halts Rs 20 billion procurement

Sindh Health Department suspends Rs 20 billion medicine procurement over irregularities allegations

KARACHI: Sindh’s public healthcare system is facing a potential medicine shortage after the Sindh Health Department suspended all ongoing drug procurement activities worth more than Rs 20 billion, following allegations of irregularities in the tendering process.

According to official sources, the procurement suspension came after objections were raised over the awarding of tenders to 11 companies allegedly linked to only three individuals, prompting serious concerns about transparency and conflict of interest.

Procurement halted amid investigation and legal review

Authorities have confirmed that one pharmaceutical company has legally challenged the procurement process, which led to a court-ordered review. In response, the Health Department issued a notification suspending the execution of all pending procurement agreements and temporarily halting purchases from four pharmaceutical firms.

Sources claim that the three individuals in question had registered multiple companies under different names and reportedly maintained close ties with certain department officials — a factor that has intensified scrutiny within the provincial government.

Hospitals warn of critical supply disruption

Health officials caution that the indefinite suspension could trigger a serious shortage of essential medicines in Sindh’s public hospitals, as nearly 85% of all supplies are typically acquired through the Central Procurement Committee’s approved vendors.

A senior official warned that if procurement remains stalled, government healthcare facilities — especially tertiary hospitals and district health centers — may soon struggle to provide critical medicines, antibiotics, and life-saving drugs to patients across the province.

The Sindh Health Department has yet to issue an official statement clarifying how long the suspension will remain in place or what alternative measures are being taken to prevent shortages. However, departmental insiders confirmed that a comprehensive review of the tendering process is currently underway to ensure transparency, accountability, and compliance with procurement laws.

Conclusion

Healthcare experts and hospital administrators have urged the Sindh government to expedite the review process and resume procurement under transparent mechanisms to avoid a potential public health crisis in provincial hospitals.

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